Healthy Skin, Happy Employees

Corporate wellness programs are on the rise, and with good reason. Studies have shown that these initiatives lead to healthier and happier employees, and may help companies save on healthcare costs. While smoking cessation classes, meditation sessions and even nutrition courses have become commonplace in many offices, skin health is often overlooked. It’s time we change that!

Whether you own a small business or manage wellness programming for a Fortune 100 company, show your commitment to your employees’ health in the coming year by helping them take simple steps to reduce their skin cancer risk.

Protect Your Employees in Outdoor Spaces
It’s great to have a courtyard or terrace where employees can sit during their breaks, but even a few minutes of unprotected sun exposure can lead to skin damage. To keep your employees safe, have a “healthy skin station” near the exit. You can provide sunscreen and put up posters that remind workers to apply it before going outside. If your budget allows for it, you might also add branded sunglasses and hats to the mix. The outdoor space should have shade. Some simple, and cost effective, shade structures include awnings, umbrellas or even a few trees.

Share Some Knowledge
While skin cancer is prevalent in the United States, it’s a disease that’s not widely understood. You can deliver value to employees by sharing educational resources with them. The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Mini Prevention Handbook is a great tool that can be printed or shared digitally. At the online store, you can purchase informational brochures or engaging posters to hang in your office space.

Connect Them With the Experts
Invite a local dermatologist to come to your workplace for an employee-presentation or free skin cancer screenings during Skin Cancer Awareness Month (May).  The spring will be here before you know it and, as you might imagine, it’s a busy time for many dermatologists so don’t delay in scheduling this program.

Reward Employees Who Go for Their Annual Skin Exam
If inviting a dermatologist to your workplace isn’t an option, encourage employees to visit a physician for their annual skin exams and reward those who do so with a bonus half-day off or casual dress down privileges.

While Skin Cancer Awareness Month is still a long way off, sun protection should be practiced every day. As you begin planning your 2018 wellness programs, look to create a workplace with healthy skin and healthy habits by educating and empowering your employees to be sun-safe throughout the year.